| The following excerpt comes from the book, | | | | members were laughing, joking and throwing |
| Soccer Dreams, (a top-seller in sports | | | | water on each other. When the coaches called |
| journalism at Amazon) which describes Leah | | | | them to resume, it was instantly back to |
| Lauber's true adventure following the U.S. | | | | work. When practice finished, the players |
| Women's National Soccer Team, as a fan and | | | | still had to attend a team meeting and work |
| 12-year old Junior Reporter during the | | | | out with weights. |
| history-making 1999 Women's World Cup. While | | | | |
| the article is now dated and was written | | | | "We try to work hard some days and other days |
| primarily for children, the lesson itself is | | | | it's easy. It's not hard work every single |
| timeless in describing what it takes to be a | | | | day. It's a high level of concentration every |
| world-class athlete. | | | | day, but not physically hard, because we'd |
| | | | just wear the team out," Coach Tony DiCicco |
| Do you have what it takes to be a world-class | | | | said later. "It wouldn't be fun to play and |
| athlete? Do you know what it takes? Well, if | | | | it's gotta be fun to play." |
| you don't know, keep reading! | | | | |
| | | | Of course, the fun part of soccer is playing |
| I attended the U.S. Women's National Soccer | | | | the game, executing what you've practiced and |
| Team training session at the Seminole Sports | | | | defeating your opponents. |
| Training Center near Orlando, Florida | | | | |
| recently while the team was preparing for the | | | | The next day the team took on Brazil in an |
| Women's World Cup, which began Saturday and | | | | exhibition game. |
| runs through July 10. | | | | |
| | | | I had passes that allowed me to be on the |
| The United States Women's National Team is a | | | | field during the game to shoot photos and to |
| great team. In 1998, their record was 22-1-2, | | | | interview the players after the game (The |
| losing only to Norway. The U.S. team won the | | | | other photographers there looked at me as if |
| Women's World Cup in '91, came in third in | | | | I was just tagging along with my dad, but |
| '95, and won the '96 gold medal in the | | | | really, my dad was tagging along with me! |
| first-ever Olympic soccer competition for | | | | |
| women. | | | | At that time, Mia Hamm had already tied the |
| | | | record for most international career goals at |
| When we arrived at the field, the team was | | | | 107. The players, the media, and more than |
| already warming up and stretching. They were | | | | 10,000 fans, were expecting her to break the |
| working on individual skills like juggling, | | | | record that night. She had an opportunity to |
| volleys, and heading. | | | | do so early in the game, but the goalie saved |
| | | | it. Right at the end of the first half, Mia |
| Then they played small-sided games like 4 vs. | | | | shot and scored the record-breaking goal. I |
| 2, playing to maintain possession of the | | | | was standing 15 feet away from her! |
| ball. The purpose was to transition to | | | | AWESOME!!! After the referee blew the whistle |
| defense as fast as possible once a player | | | | for halftime, Mia was interviewed by ESPN. As |
| lost the ball. | | | | she was going into the locker room, I stuck |
| | | | my hand out and she slapped me a high-five! |
| Next, they worked on the fine art of | | | | |
| "finishing," or scoring goals. They worked on | | | | During the second half, the U.S. scored two |
| several ways to attack the goal from | | | | more goals. The last goal was a set play |
| different angles. | | | | exactly the way they practiced the day |
| | | | before: one player crossed it from the left |
| What impressed me most was that the best | | | | side over the goalie to another teammate who |
| women's team in the world was practicing so | | | | headed it back to the middle, where Tiffeny |
| hard! After practice I spoke to a few of the | | | | Milbrett converted the easy shot from five |
| players. | | | | yards out. That's what practicing is all |
| | | | about! |
| "We know every other team is playing their | | | | |
| best when they face us, so we have to be as | | | | After the 3-0 win over Brazil, I was with a |
| good as we can be," said defender Brandi | | | | pack of reporters and used my tape recorder |
| Chastain. | | | | to capture Mia Hamm's comments about her |
| | | | record-setting 108th goal. |
| Goalie Briana Scurry added, "You have to work | | | | |
| hard to stay the best." | | | | "It was a great ball coming from Cindy |
| | | | Parlow's one- touch pass. She touched it |
| "In order to achieve your goals and get where | | | | outside because I was running forward. I |
| you want to be, you have to continue to | | | | didn't touch it very well, and I thought I |
| practice," said forward Danielle Fotopoulos. | | | | was leaning back, but I guess I hit it right |
| "I always practice year-round with a club | | | | through her legs, so I was lucky this one got |
| team or doing whatever I can to improve | | | | through," she said. |
| myself." | | | | |
| | | | "It means a lot to me right now, but it will |
| When the players were younger, they sometimes | | | | probably mean even more once I stop playing |
| had to miss parties, dances, and sleepovers, | | | | and look back on my career. I just love the |
| just so they could play soccer. Most of us | | | | fact that I could be here and share it with |
| would consider those sacrifices, but they | | | | my teammates - they're a big part of all |
| don't, they chose to play for their love of | | | | these goals," Hamm said. "The fact that they |
| the game. | | | | all ran out on the field was awesome. They |
| | | | were telling me how proud they were of me." |
| The rewards are great for these world-class | | | | |
| athletes: traveling around the world as a | | | | She signed my Mia Hamm jersey, as well as my |
| team, getting paid to play and competing in | | | | copy of her book, Go for the Goal. I also had |
| the Olympics. | | | | a binder signed by most of the other players. |
| | | | |
| "That was a dream come true for me," Scurry | | | | Coach Tony DiCicco was sitting on the stairs |
| said about winning the gold medal in the 1996 | | | | eating pizza so, between slices, I asked him |
| Olympics. | | | | to sign the binder too. I laughed when his |
| | | | assistant said, "Here's the head coach of the |
| "I had been dreaming about being in the | | | | best women's team in the world, eating pizza |
| Olympics since I was really young, so it was | | | | on some stairs." |
| an incredible feeling for me. My family was | | | | |
| there, my friends were there, we won it at | | | | After he finished his late dinner, the coach |
| home (in Atlanta), so it was just the most | | | | talked about what makes a national team. "I |
| unbelievable experience." | | | | look for players with character, players that |
| | | | I can trust when we're not together as a |
| What's the best thing about being on the | | | | team, they're going to work hard even by |
| National Team? "I get to play the sport that | | | | themselves," he said. "I also look for |
| I love everyday with my best friends," | | | | players that have a special quality. Maybe |
| Chastain said. | | | | they're fast, maybe they're leaders, maybe |
| | | | great headers on the ball, but they have to |
| "The relationships and friendships, we're | | | | have a special quality. When you get all |
| just a big family here," said Scurry, "I can | | | | those qualities together, you can kind of |
| count on the team for anything." | | | | piece the puzzle together." |
| | | | |
| Though they do take their sport seriously, | | | | So now you know what it takes to be a |
| it's not just work, work, work all the time | | | | world-class athlete. If you want to become |
| for this team. During a water break, team | | | | one, get to work! |